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We need to hit the ground running and improve our home form and PERFORMANCES. Drogheda have been a boggy team for us lately. The key decisions are who plays cm with Fats and who starts rw. We have trialed a back 3 at times during preseason but I suspect we will start with 4-2-3-1.

Maher

Boyce Connolly McJannett Doherty

Fats Dummigan

Kelly Patching Duffy

Hoban

Like the look of that team.

Agree, let's hope we can present a different, faster style of football this season, now we actually have a dangerous front man. Move the ball fast and try to entertain.

Let the players play.

barry wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2024 1:14 pm We need to hit the ground running and improve our home form and PERFORMANCES. Drogheda have been a boggy team for us lately. The key decisions are who plays cm with Fats and who starts rw. We have trialed a back 3 at times during preseason but I suspect we will start with 4-2-3-1.

Maher

Boyce Connolly McJannett Doherty

Fats Dummigan

Kelly Patching Duffy

Hoban

No McMullan on the wing ? Is he unjured, or you just rate Kelly above him?

stevebradley wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:09 pm

barry wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2024 1:14 pm We need to hit the ground running and improve our home form and PERFORMANCES. Drogheda have been a boggy team for us lately. The key decisions are who plays cm with Fats and who starts rw. We have trialed a back 3 at times during preseason but I suspect we will start with 4-2-3-1.

Maher

Boyce Connolly McJannett Doherty

Fats Dummigan

Kelly Patching Duffy

Hoban

No McMullan on the wing ? Is he unjured, or you just rate Kelly above him?

I.tnink.Kelly will provide more goals from that area.

barry wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 6:00 pm

stevebradley wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:09 pm

barry wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2024 1:14 pm We need to hit the ground running and improve our home form and PERFORMANCES. Drogheda have been a boggy team for us lately. The key decisions are who plays cm with Fats and who starts rw. We have trialed a back 3 at times during preseason but I suspect we will start with 4-2-3-1.

Maher

Boyce Connolly McJannett Doherty

Fats Dummigan

Kelly Patching Duffy

Hoban

No McMullan on the wing ? Is he unjured, or you just rate Kelly above him?

I.tnink.Kelly will provide more goals from that area.

Couple of times McMullan played through Middle with Kelly on wing.

brandyball wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 6:20 pm

barry wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 6:00 pm

stevebradley wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:09 pm

No McMullan on the wing ? Is he unjured, or you just rate Kelly above him?

I.tnink.Kelly will provide more goals from that area.

Couple of times McMullan played through Middle with Kelly on wing.

With Patching fit I can't see that happening now

When we met Drogheda for the first time last season we were sitting second 3pts behind Bohs and 7pts ahead of Rovers!
Would like the same start this year.

Tonight on Drive105 MNL we are attempting a new format. We are back to a three man commentary panel, thanks to Lawrence for sorting it. We are starting at an earlier time of 7:10pm from the Brandywell and we have a packed Pre-match buildup. We have exclusive interviews with Kevin Doherty (Drogheda Manager) Patrick McEleney, Gerard Grimes (DUFC PRO), plus Higgins & Higgsy's input from the club's press day.

At half time Mikhail Kennedy discusses Institute FC ahead of tomorrow's game with Dundela at the Brandywell. As usual we will remain on air until 10pm to analyse the game and react to other results in the country. If you are going to the match why don't you tune us into the car radio for all the build up and reaction on the way and back, if you aren't at the game then listen to us for the commentary too. 105.3fm, online and on DAB.

My co-hosts are Stephen McClelland and Eddie Seydak.

Fats picked up a niggle v Dundalk so won't be risked tonight

You can't drop McMullan if he's fit... he was a cut above last season.

adydcfc wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2024 3:03 pm Fats picked up a niggle v Dundalk so won't be risked tonight

FFS!

Easy now, easy now. We have good cover and enough talent in the squad so as not to risk him.

Tonight's Team

https://twitter.com/derrycityfc/status/ ... miMpA&s=19

Any word, on Connolly!

TenaciousDee wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2024 1:27 pm Tonight on Drive105 MNL we are attempting a new format. We are back to a three man commentary panel, thanks to Lawrence for sorting it. We are starting at an earlier time of 7:10pm from the Brandywell and we have a packed Pre-match buildup. We have exclusive interviews with Kevin Doherty (Drogheda Manager) Patrick McEleney, Gerard Grimes (DUFC PRO), plus Higgins & Higgsy's input from the club's press day.

At half time Mikhail Kennedy discusses Institute FC ahead of tomorrow's game with Dundela at the Brandywell. As usual we will remain on air until 10pm to analyse the game and react to other results in the country. If you are going to the match why don't you tune us into the car radio for all the build up and reaction on the way and back, if you aren't at the game then listen to us for the commentary too. 105.3fm, online and on DAB.

My co-hosts are Stephen McClelland and Eddie Seydak.

Great to hear that there'll be a longer prematch build up Dee. I hope it gets the audience it deserves. Thanks for you and the MNL team's efforts and good luck for the season ahead. Always a great listen.

Nige92 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 10:32 am

TenaciousDee wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2024 1:27 pm Tonight on Drive105 MNL we are attempting a new format. We are back to a three man commentary panel, thanks to Lawrence for sorting it. We are starting at an earlier time of 7:10pm from the Brandywell and we have a packed Pre-match buildup. We have exclusive interviews with Kevin Doherty (Drogheda Manager) Patrick McEleney, Gerard Grimes (DUFC PRO), plus Higgins & Higgsy's input from the club's press day.

At half time Mikhail Kennedy discusses Institute FC ahead of tomorrow's game with Dundela at the Brandywell. As usual we will remain on air until 10pm to analyse the game and react to other results in the country. If you are going to the match why don't you tune us into the car radio for all the build up and reaction on the way and back, if you aren't at the game then listen to us for the commentary too. 105.3fm, online and on DAB.

My co-hosts are Stephen McClelland and Eddie Seydak.

Great to hear that there'll be a longer prematch build up Dee. I hope it gets the audience it deserves. Thanks for you and the MNL team's efforts and good luck for the season ahead. Always a great listen.

Particularly enjoyed the wee chat with Nicky Lowe who clearly still loves the Club.

Strange that it’s Sat pm and no posts on first game . Well the “ bogey” was well and truly laid that’s great . The goals all3 were really excellent and generally it was entertaining So I’m delighted .
A few. Comments That Fats is out again a worry …Connelly injured The fact that again we won almost every corner but as last year don’t convert enough one for HIGGSperhsps and coaches . Our pitch is a horror show the pen decision eg It leap up as it did all night from that ratbag surface but not allowed to comment on this by thought police. Shane is my fav so I think he iwas when he came in ,,,,,magnificent,,,,, so big bonus for me The ref stepped up to be poss THE WORST ever Frogs as usual a disgrace by foul after foul after foul fuelled by that boyo I I will never call him a coach or a manager as that would be too much for his manic antics all night as at Drogheda last season.
So all in all A good night
Going on untube fans at the games all over seemed huge and the standard looked excellent so we could be in for a v good season With teams beating each other. But but injuries GOD I DREAD TO THINK

Thank you both for the comments/feedback. We had a good first night and hopefully we can maintain it. Initially Brandyball, when we saw Nicky we took his number to do something with him in longer form (still might) but Dermot Liddy was pinting with him and brought him over at the end of the game. Great lad, and i keep an eye on the "Bankies" as one of the directors is a listener of our coverage.

On the match, Drogheda were as stubborn as always. They tried a new system that showed weaknesses in execution but I think Doherty has the basis of a good team. I would highly doubt they’ll be in the position at the end of the season most predict. With the wing back system Conor Kane had a terrible experience whereas McNally looked the better of the two but was left exposed by the lack of support from the midfield. In the first half we were getting round them but the final ball is just too high or couldn't get off the ground.

We never really got out of second gear, not that we had to. Defensively we matched up to Pierrot who tried to make up for his lack of fitness by getting physical with Connolly and McJannett. It was a smart move taking him off at half time because he was a moment away from a second yellow. When they played their subs, McJannett and McEleney when he came on, showed their class and never appeared panicked. Boyce continues to improve (on the basis of last night) at right back as at times last year I thought he was targeted. One thing I would say about last night was the changing role of McEneff in the game, In the first 15 minutes he looked like he was going to operate in the middle to link up with Hoban and help take one of the three central defenders away from the striker when we broke. After that initial period he started moving wide and deeper and that early pressure he applied dissipated when I believed we could have created better opportunities early on.

Anyway, the main thing is we got the three points on the first night and we have a tough game next week with a side who always seem to step up against us, even when they are at their worst.

The Manager's view

https://audioboom.com/posts/8459497-der ... K9_vpdRkJg

Scrappy game but good to get win. Have a feeling that when he drifts left go get ball and then switch to right, Patching can inadvertently make Doherty and Duffy ineffective.

Hope Connolly just a precaution but forgot how bad pitch was. Players all had trouble controlling it. Would be annoying to go into Sligo without him and McEleney already.

Thought Hoban took goal well and Kelly looked threatening when on.

Delighted to see Boyce score.